Approach for optimizing energy consumption of multiple-input multiple-output system

1. A method to optimize energy consumption of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system that includes a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device, the method comprising:

collecting a set of information associated with one or more of an energy consumption, a network traffic condition, an environmental condition, and/or quality of a communication link associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system and tracked by one or more modules of the MIMO system, wherein collecting the set of information comprises one or more of

gathering information associated with the energy consumption by a first of the one or more modules configured to obtain static information,

gathering information associated with the network traffic condition and/or the quality of communication link by a second of the one or more modules configured to obtain dynamic information, and

gathering information associated with the environmental condition by a third of the one or more modules configured to obtain environmental information associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system;

determining whether to cause a device-level change or a system-level change to the MIMO system based on an energy saving approach developed from the collected set of information;

configuring the first wireless communication device to change from operating at a first energy intensive level to a first reduced energy consumption level based on the collected set of information;

if the system-level change to the MIMO system is to occur, identifying operation information associated with the first wireless communication device based upon at least the configuration of the first wireless communication device; and

transmitting the operation information for reception by the second wireless communication device so that the second wireless communication device can be configured to change from operating at a second energy intensive level to a second reduced energy consumption level based on the operation information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device comprises

modifying the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by changing an operating mode for a component of the first wireless communication device to reduce energy consumption before transmitting the operation information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device comprises:

comparing a surrounding temperature condition collected by the third of the one or more modules based on a set of criteria including an ambient temperature to generate a comparison result; and

modifying the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by changing an operating mode for a component of the first wireless communication device to reduce energy consumption based on the comparison result.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises

reducing amount of time the first wireless communication device spends in performing energy intensive tasks.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises:

comparing the network traffic condition collected by the second of the one or more modules based on a set of criteria including network congestion to generate a comparison result; and

modifying the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by suspending a data transmission task to reduce energy consumption based on the comparison result.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises:

comparing a reception rate condition collected by the second of the one or more modules based on a set of criteria including a reception rate to generate a comparison result; and

modifying the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by varying a size of a packet used to transmit data to the second wireless communication device to reduce energy consumption based on the comparison result.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises:

comparing an interference condition collected by the second of the one or more modules based on a set of criteria including interference to generate a comparison result; and

modifying the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by suspending a data transmission task to reduce energy consumption based on the comparison result.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises

modifying the operation information by compressing data before transmitting compressed data for reception by the second wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first wireless communication device further comprises

modifying the operation information by varying the lengths of error correction codes used to transmit data for reception by the second wireless.

10. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system, comprising:

a first wireless communication device having an energy consumption optimization module;

one or more modules configured to collect a set of information associated with one or more of an energy consumption, a network traffic condition, an environmental condition, and/or quality of a communication link associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system, wherein

a first of the one or more modules configured to obtain static information gathers information associated with the energy consumption,

a second of the one or more modules configured to obtain dynamic information gathers information associated with the network traffic condition and/or the quality of communication link, and

a third of the one or more modules configured to obtain environmental information associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system gathers information associated with the environmental condition; and

a second wireless communication device coupled to the first wireless communication device via a wireless communication channel,

wherein the energy consumption optimization module of the first wireless communication device is arranged to:

determine whether to cause a device-level change or a system-level change to the MIMO system based on an energy saving approach developed from the set of collected information;

configure the first wireless communication device to change from operating in an operating mode associated with a first energy intensive level to operating in another operating mode associated with a first reduced energy consumption level, and

if the system-level change to the MIMO system is to occur, identify operation information associated with the first wireless communication device based upon at least the configuration of the first wireless communication device; and

encode the operation information in a transmission from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device so that the second wireless communication device can be configured to change from operating at a second energy intensive level to a second reduced energy consumption level based on the operation information.

11. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein

the energy consumption optimization module of the first wireless communication device is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by changing a first operating mode for a first component of the first wireless communication device to reduce energy consumption, and

in response to receiving the first operating mode as the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device, the second wireless communication device is further configured to change a second operating mode for a second component of the second wireless communication device to reduce energy consumption.

12. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device based on a temperature condition collected by the third of the one or more modules.

13. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein

the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by suspending a data transmission task for the first wireless communication device based on the network traffic condition collected by the second of the one or more modules, and

the second wireless communication device is configured to remain operating in the second reduced energy consumption level until receipt of a notification from the first wireless communication device to resume the data transmission task.

14. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to

modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by varying a size of a packet used to transmit data to the second wireless communication device based on a reception rate condition collected by the second of the one or more modules.

15. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein

the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by suspending a data transmission task for the first wireless communication device based on an interference condition collected by the second of the one or more modules, and

the second wireless communication device is configured to remain operating in the second reduced energy consumption level until receipt of a notification from the first wireless communication device to resume the data transmission task.

16. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by compressing data before the first wireless communication device transmits compressed data to the second wireless communication device while minimizing a weighted sum of a first energy required for compressing data and a second energy required for operating in a transmission mode.

17. The MIMO system of claim 10 , wherein the energy consumption optimization module is further configured to modify the operation information associated with the first wireless communication device by varying lengths and/or types of error correction codes used for the first wireless communication device to transmit data to the second wireless communication device.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium that contains a sequence of instructions to optimize energy consumption for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system having a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device, wherein the sequence of instructions, when executed by the first wireless communication device, causes the first wireless communication device to:

collect a set of information associated with one or more of an energy consumption, a network traffic condition, an environmental condition, and/or quality of a communication link associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system and tracked by one or more modules of the MIMO system, wherein

information associated with the energy consumption is gathered by a first of the one or more modules configured to obtain static information,

information associated with the network traffic condition and/or the quality of communication link is gathered by a second of the one or more modules configured to obtain dynamic information, and

information associated with the environmental condition is gathered by a third of the one or more modules configured to obtain environmental information associated with the first wireless communication device and/or the MIMO system;

determine whether to cause a device-level change or a system-level change to the MIMO system based on an energy saving approach developed from the collected set of information;

configure the first wireless communication device to change from operating at a first energy intensive level to a first reduced energy consumption level based on the collected set of information;

if the system-level change to the MIMO system is to occur, identify operation information associated with the first wireless communication device based upon at least the configuration of the first wireless communication device; and

transmit the operation information for reception by the second wireless communication so that the second wireless communication device can be configured to change from operating at a second energy intensive level to a second reduced energy consumption level based on the operation information.